Hawkeyes Take Control of Big Ten With Convincing Win
The No. 3 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes dominated the No. 14 Indiana Hoosiers 84-57 on Saturday night behind another stellar performance from star guard Caitlin Clark.
Clark scored 30 points on 11-of-21 shooting and added 15 assists to lead Iowa to its 14th straight win. The Hawkeyes outscored the Hoosiers 29-9 in the second quarter to take control and improve to 15-1 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 14 Indiana | 19 | 9 | 15 | 14 | 57 |
| No. 3 Iowa | 23 | 29 | 16 | 16 | 84 |
Clark scored 13 points in the pivotal second quarter run that broke the game wide open. Her buzzer-beating three pointer to end the first half epitomized Iowa’s dominance.
That shot was big – that just gives us momentum going into the locker room up 17,” Clark said. “Especially with that run we went on in the second quarter, that shot just topped it off.”
Monika Czinano added 18 points and Kathleen Doyle chipped in 10 for the Hawkeyes.
Mackenzie Holmes led Indiana with 16 points while Jaelynn Penn added 11. But outside their two stars, the Hoosiers shot just 33% from the field as they dropped to 14-2 and 3-1 in conference.
Iowa Takes Control of Big Ten Race
With the win, Iowa now holds a half game lead atop the Big Ten standings over No. 17 Maryland. The Hawkeyes made an emphatic statement that they are still the team to beat in the conference with the blowout victory.
Iowa has now won 22 straight regular season Big Ten games dating back to last season. They will put that streak on the line when they travel to face No. 17 Maryland on Thursday.
“It was a team win,” Clark said. Our posts played really well, I thought Gabbie [Marshall] gave us great minutes, Tomi [Taiwo], Molly [Davis]…up and down our roster, I thought we played really hard and together, and that’s why we won by almost 30.”
Meanwhile, Indiana will look to rebound when they host Wisconsin on Wednesday. The Hoosiers are considered one of the top teams in the Big Ten, but they were thoroughly outclassed by the Hawkeyes.
What’s Next
Iowa will travel to face No. 17 Maryland on Thursday in another pivotal Big Ten clash. The Hawkeyes beat the Terrapins 96-82 last season and will be looking to extend their conference win streak.
Clark will likely be matched up with Maryland star Diamond Miller in a battle of two of the best players in women’s college basketball. Iowa has passed every tough test so far, but taking down Maryland on the road will be another challenge.
If Iowa gets by Maryland, they will be firmly in control of the conference race. Their only loss this season came against UConn back in November, so the Hawkeyes look poised to make another deep run come March.
Indiana will look to rebound at home against Wisconsin on Wednesday. The Hoosiers were projected to finish second in the Big Ten behind Iowa, but they now have two league losses after the lopsided defeat.
Indiana likely needs to win out in conference play if they want to have a chance to catch the Hawkeyes. But after being dismantled on Saturday, Iowa seems to be on a different level than the rest of the Big Ten.
This was a matchup of two of the highest scoring teams in the country. But only Iowa was able to put points on the board, shooting over 50% from the field. Indiana’s offense never got in sync amid Iowa’s swarming defense and hostile home environment.
If these teams meet again in the Big Ten Tournament, Indiana will need to play much better to have any chance at knocking off Iowa. But for now, the Hawkeyes have a firm grip on the driver’s seat in the conference race.
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